1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to projectile toss games where a projectile, such as a ball or beanbag, is tossed toward a target. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of the toss game target, especially toss game targets that embody concentric target areas.
2. Prior Art Description
Games in which a person tosses a projectile into a target have been in existence throughout recorded history. In this long period of time, many variations of the game have developed. Games exist where projectiles have been tossed into various objects, such as baskets, buckets, and rings. The present invention is directed toward a subsection of projectile toss games where a projectile is tossed into a target that consists of concentric circles.
The popular game of Skee-ball® has been in existence since 1909. In Skee-ball®, a player rolls a ball toward a ramp. The ramp launches the ball toward an inclined set of concentric circles. Each of the circles has a different point value, with the highest point value circle typically being located in the center. In variations of the traditional Skee-ball® game, a special target is placed in a target area that otherwise has no value or a low value. The specialized target has the highest point value in the game and may even be an “instant win” target. The purpose of this specialized target is to entice players to toss the projectile toward the low value area. The specialized target also gives players who are outmatched buy opponents the chance to stay competitive or even win the game.
Although Skee-ball® remains a popular game, it is not a portable game. Skee-ball® games require long heavy boards upon which the balls are rolled. In order to make the game of Skee-ball® portable, variations of the game have been developed that eliminate the need for the long game bowling ramp. In portable versions of the game, balls or other projectiles are tossed in flight toward the target, rather than rolled. The target boards are also inclined differently so that they can better receive a ball falling from above, rather than a ball being launch from below. Such portable games are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,429 to Zimmerman.
When a ball is thrown toward a target, it has much more downward momentum than does a ball that is rolled up a ramp toward a target. As such, it has been discovered that a ball thrown at a target of concentric circles tends to bounce off of the target rather than be captured by one of the concentric circles. The solution to this problem has been to make the walls of the concentric circles very high in relation to the diameter of the concentric circles. In this manner, the circles become cylinders that can capture a tossed projectile within their centers. Such prior art is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,693 to Hicks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,656 to Green and U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,662 to Menendez.
Although a target with high-wall concentric cylinders enables a tossed ball to be easily captured, the high-wall system inhibits the use of an offset high value target in an otherwise low value field. Thus, one of the more entertaining aspects of the traditional game of Skee-ball® cannot be reintroduced.
A need therefore exists for toss game target system that has concentric cylinders that are capable of capturing a projectile in flight, yet also provides an offset specialized target that does not interfere with the ability of the other concentric cylinders to receive projectiles. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.